I've been helping my friend actress Kerry Washington with the re-decoration of her Los Angeles apartment. We're doing it all green and beautiful and I can't wait to share the finished photos with all of you.
On a trip out to LA to begin work on the project, I stayed an extra day to scout stores and pick-up a few things for myself, too. I stopped by my two favorite shops in LA: HD Buttercup and Vintageweave.
First up: HD Buttercup. I couldn't resist the end-of-season sale they were having and ended up buying some pieces of furniture. One item I didn't buy but found interesting was this clock sculpture above. Different, right?
In the eco section of the store, they had these polished wood stump stools for sale. I thought they'd make great side tables for the guest room, so I snatched them up.
I've been searching for a queen size bed for what seems like...forever. But in the Annex section of the store---translation: bargain central---I found this Eastlake/Victorian style wood bed. It was an incredible bargain and I can't wait for it to be delivered.
Over at Vintage Weave, they had these incredible throw pillows made entirely from antique French fabric. Usually french country style is very feminine, but here the mix of subtle reds and gray really makes it beautiful enough for almost any decor.
And these zinc stars are a great idea. The owner suggested using them as gift tags on presents, so they can be used over and over again. Hmm...the gift tag could be better than the actual gift!
I got to the West Coast a day early before my Marin County gig and decided to spend the day in downtown San Francisco. I've been in SF plenty of times, but I always find that each time I'm there, I can find new neighborhoods to explore and find lots of fresh ideas and new sources for my work.
One store I found myself spending lots of time in was called Paper Source. Above is a sign that says it all, doesn't it?
Here's a chart that shows all the sheets of paper that come in a recycled variety. No beige! I love the poppy, pool and bluebell paper colors.
Then it was off to an amazing rug store where I discovered..... pillows. Forget the piles and piles of rugs!
This dyed velvet material is something I've been seeking for my living room sofa. Something comfy, something homemade and something a big bohemian. I've always thought there must be a way to do tie-dye influence in an elegant way. I think these pillows hit the mark.
A more tie-dyed looking throw pillow...
Every corner reveals more hidden shops. Here's a store appropriately called "the secret garden." I trekked my way down and poked around the store and found an amazing collection of recycled glass plates and bowls.
Back to my cozy room at the St. Regis Hotel to refresh and change for dinner.
Dinner at Zuni Cafe! A James Beard award-winning restaurant featuring organic, sustainable ingredients in the most delicious dishes.
The owner immediately introduced herself and offered a behind-the-scenes tour. What a treat. Here's one of the chefs making Zuni's infamous Ceasar salads.
Fresh, sustainably-caught oysters. I love the use of old menus as dividers in the cold ice.
Last week, I spoke at the Marin County Fair... the greenest fair on Earth! I have some more digital photos of all the fun I saw at the fair.
Above is a beautiful display of locally made wines entered for judging at the fair. What a fun job it must be to be the judge of this competition!
There was a green living exhibit on display and I was immediately drawn to this sculpture. Correction: wind turbine. Now you can harness the power of the wind at home and create your own energy...all while having something on your roof that looks like a piece of art.
This collection of seaglass was expertly glued together into a jeweled birds nest. How cool is this?
Home grown roses up for judging...all beautifully displayed in recycled glass bottles.
A beany Mona Lisa....
I was immediately drawn to the bonsai tree exhibit. A true art form!
Another great example.
And meet Biodiesel Betty! She introduced me before I spoke and did an amazing job educating all types of kids about green living. Inside her reusable tote bag was all the eco packaging they used at the fair: paper straws, corn-plastic cups and corn starch bowls.
How fun is this? At my quick trip to Marin County before the 4th of July, I was able to scout the fairgrounds at the Marin County Fair at all the creative and resourceful exhbits on display at the "greenest fair on Earth!"
One highlight was the clever recycling of old Starbucks cups, straws and other disposables into new amazing sculptures. Isn't this boat amazing? The sides of the boat are made entirely from green Starbucks straws and the port windows are Starbucks frapp cups.
Here's a detail shot of the windows on the boat.
This Ferris wheel is so appropriate for the festive nature of the county fair. How resourceful that the cups are the little seats you sit on for the ride?
The Starbucks Lochness Monster!
And how fun is this pick-up truck? Seriously, this makes me want to route through the trash can at Starbucks, rinse everything off, and make something myself.
As many of you know, I work with JCPenney as their Green Living Partner and help them as a spokesperson and consultant on their eco-product designation campaign called "Simply Green." The logo helps our customers (and associates) identify products we create that are recycled, renewable or organic. I'm down in Texas quite a bit for meetings and one-on-one time with design directors, executives and buyers. So, this time I thought I'd share a little insider view of their Energy Star award-winning corporate headquarters.
Above is what is known as "the statue." This is a giant statue of the founder, Mr. James Cash Penney.
Here's a photo of the very first JCPenney store.
One of the first JCPenney promotional gifts given away: how green! It's a toothpaste squeezer so you can get every little last bit of toothpaste out of the tube. I want one of these!
Some old matches that were given away back in the day.
Vintage stationary with the old JCPenney logo. Seeing this photo makes me miss my old typewriter. I might go search flea markets or a Goodwill store to find an old typewriter to have on hand. I love the look of the fonts when freshly "struck" to paper.
I also stopped by the JCPenney Stonebriar store nearby to check on my Simmons Natural Care by Danny Seo mattress. I also go into stores and refluff the pillows and clean-up the displays. Sometimes I personally explain the mattress to customers who may be there when I'm there. I always end up giving away free signed copies of my books to people!
Anyway, here's a sign on the bed promoting their 40% off special sale right now. Good time to buy and save!
And here's how it looks on the sales floor. So pretty.
(PS-I've gotten lots of emails asking why it's not available for sale in some JCPenney stores. This mattress is on display in all 165 stores that have mattress departments; stores that do not have a mattress department will not have this on display. To find the closest store to you that has a mattress dept., all you have to do is go to www.naturalcarebed.com and type in your zip code in the store locator. It will be available for sale in a few weeks on jcp.com as well!)
I went to Los Angeles recently for work. Whenever I travel, I always try get the lowest rates possible for flights and hotel rooms; I have no shame in using Hotwire.com to save money. But when it comes to car rentals, I always get super picky and rent hybrid cars. Often, I'll rent a hybrid car from Hertz and will find a giant SUV sitting in the spot the tell me to go to. I go back to the counter to ask them why they gave me a huge SUV... and then I'm told I was given a complimentary upgrade because I rent from them all the time. Then I have to explain why an SUV upgrade is a downgrade... and basically, confusion sets in.
But I digress.
I totally scored with Hotwire and got a room at the new Palomar Hotel in Westwood. It's a Kimpton property, meaning it's a boutique, eclectic and fun property. This hotel was just 3 weeks old, but I was impressed with the visible eco additions to the property.
Above is a shot of the in-room recycling bins. Whenever I travel, I save my cans and bottles and bring them back to the hotel for recycling. I know, it's a bit weird... but it's what I do...
And here's how I saved 25% off my valet prices! 25% of all hybrid vehicles. Very cool. Ecological and Economical.
Before I headed to Los Angeles for some work, I found myself with a day off and decided to spend it doing what I miss the most: rummaging through flea markets, antique stores and junk shops in Pennsylvania.
So, I rented an SUV (I know...but how else will I carry my stuff home?) and headed to Adamstown, PA for a few hours of sleuthing.
Above is a shot a giant warehouse full of nothing but amazing old wood piece: mantels, old bars, windows, tables, chairs...you name it! I thought I had discovered some out-of-the-way store that no one else really knew about, but I was wrong. Here's how I knew:
Hold for Ralph Lauren!
I was really on the hunt for an old bed for the new house, so I resisted temptation to buy up pieces that I liked. I really liked this old wooden chair with the wide unusual back. It just needs to be reupholstered (a nice hemp fabric would be cool).
At another store down the road, I found this antique cello or bass case in the back room. How cool is this? It had a lot of intricate stitch work and real wear and tear (which added to its charm). I have no idea what I could use this for, but I had to take a photo. How do you even price something like this?
Not everything is an antique. This Ball canning jar has been repurposed into a chicken waterer. Fill up the jar, insert the metal dish, and invert. It trickles out fresh water for chickens. I thought about getting this for the birds at the house, but I think I'll make my own.
And I loved these antique marble planters from France! Small is $65 and large is a bit more. How on Earth can you tell which is small and large? They look the same to me!
My friend grabbed the camera and took this shot: I look tired! Okay, I'm playing it up for the camera a bit, but still, I think all this traveling is starting to catch up with me.
My energy level is pretty consistent and I thought I would share with you how I prevent getting sick and keep my energy levels up naturally when on the road. With the summer (Memorial Day) vacation season soon upon us, I thought this would be helpful to all!
1. Emergen-C Vitamin Packets! I can speak enough about these fizzing vitamin packets! They are loaded with B-12 (for energy) and Vitamin C (to prevent colds) and taste really great in a glass of water. I just fill a glass with water from the tap (or order a glass of water at the restaurant with no ice) and stir in one packet. I'll literally chug the whole thing all at once and feel re-energized and revitalized instantly.
2. A cold compress. I've been checking into hotel rooms around 2 or 3 AM lately. One day, I checked in at 430AM and got my hotel room keys to only see someone else in workout gear just waking up. I thought I was hallucinating. But here's something you can do to de-compress after a lengthy trip: a cold compress. Just fill up the ice bucket halfway with ice and the rest with cold water from the sink. Take those little hand towels and soak them in the ice water. Let it soak for a few minutes and then ring them out. Roll it up and rest it on your eyes. The coolness, the pressure...it all helps.
3. Schedule, schedule, schedule! For business travel, we are all used to scheduling meetings, appointments and business dinners for colleagues. But I like to schedule everything down to the last detail, including time to relax, rejuvenate and take time for yourself. It's important to schedule things like "wake time" and "exercise block" so you can mentally know when something is happening and when. When people complain they don't have time to, say, go for a jog...it's because it was never really figured out into the daily schedule. Make time and you'll feel a million times better. Plus, if you take the time to exercise a bit, maybe you can indulge in that slice of chocolate cake at dinner.
Plus, I do other "strange" things: I order (3) appetizer green salads and ask them to put it into one giant bowl. At the W Hotel, they have free lemon scented hand wipes in the gym, so I'll take an extra fee and use them on the plane or train to wipe "grimey" stuff off my hands. And I always prefer to underpack than overpack and just wear something twice so I can lug around the lightest possible suitcase. And If I have a rental car, I'll type in "WHOLE FOODS" into my GPS device and just pick-up healthy snacks, drinks and other goodies to eat instead of filling up on junk.
What are your tips for staying healthy on the road? Would love to hear them.
Okay, so I had a blast in Boston at the Method Detox Boston party. Method, the eco-friendly cleaning supply company, opened a "pop-up" shop on Newbury street to help give people in Boston a chance to try Method products and stock-up on all the latest and greatest.
One some of the nights, I hosted small parties to a group of local people to introduce myself and do a fun crafting project together: reglazed silhouette plates.
We picked up a bunch of old plates from Goodwill, some bakeable porcelain glaze, brushes and 8 1/2 X 11" sticker paper to make these plates. I thought I would share some of the creative plates the guests came up with!
The Method logo on a plate!
One of my favorite ones: grassy green glaze with yellow glazy dotes in the middle of each daisy flower.
A very cool plate: a blue and white porcelain plate with yellow glaze on top. You can still see the transfer pattern below, but it somehow looks updated and more modern. Stickers spelling out EAT peek through...
Here's my plate: a silvery, grassy plate. Just random strips of stickers slapped on, two coats of silvery porcelain glaze, and that's it! You can see the old pattern of the plate peeking through. And, how funny: my Blackberry right next to it. Hmm...I might be a crackberry addict!
I was in Boston recently to help out my friends at Method with their Detox Boston campaign. But more on the fun pop-up shop on tomorrow's post....
On the beautiful Spring day, I decided to walk to the store location and stop in stores along the way. One store that my friend insisted we stop at is called Winston Flowers. It's a small chain of flower stores in the Boston area that, I think, feature incredibly fresh and beautifully creative arrangements.
At the store entrance, giant gray containers were simply filled with dark, deep purple pansies.
Okay, here's an idea that I think I may be doing at my new house: Outdoor zinc planters filled with very tall branches of pussy willows. What I like about this arrangement is that A: I can find locally sourced pussy willow branches in my neighborhood, B: this arrangement will last for months and months and C: did I mention it will last for months?
Here's a tall vase filled with water and fully bloomed purple hyacinth bulbs. The bulbs have a thin wire tied around the bulb and are weighted down with pieces of crystal. The heavier the crystal, the more weighed down the bulbs. The lighter, the less weighed down. And there you have it: a weighted bulb arrangement.
Okay, squint your eyes and take a close look at this picture. It's just tall branches with test tubes tied right to the branches. Pour some water, insert stem and voila! Arrangement. So, I'm thinking if I do make this pussy willow arrangement for the front of the house, then I could tie test tubes to it once in a while and have a different, fresh arrangement.
All in all, my friend was right: it was worth stopping by and snooping around. Plus, I got some great gifts for all my friends I met in Boston on this trip.
I've been in the market for a new car for a while, and I am SO excited that Hummer has decided to go green.
I've just returned from the dealership where I placed my order for the Hummer hybrid: previous models got a dismal 8-10 MPG, but my new Hummer hybrid gets a 50% boost in performance to a whopping 12-14 MPG! Isn't that amazing?
And I am planning on getting it custom colored in a dark green color so people know it's a hybrid, too. Unfortunately, the only place that can do the paint job is on the West Coast, so I'll have it trucked across the country to get it painted and trucked right back to my house when it's done.
I was in San Francisco recently to oversee a photo shoot for Method Cleaning Products for an upcoming issue of KIWI magazine, a fabulous eco-friendly parenting publication.
Whenever possible, I try to rent hybrid cars wherever I am in the country. It always isn't the easiest, but it is getting easier. Maybe with San Francisco being such a green town I shouldn't be so shocked, but here I was at Hertz rent-a-car renting a Prius. As a Gold member, it's really convenient to just show up at Hertz, look for your name on the board, go straight to your car and drive right off the lot after showing your photo ID. It saves me soooo much time!
The only funny thing about the experience was that my car was wedged in between two giant SUVs. The Prius was so hidden, that I walked by it twice. I kinda chuckled when I saw it dwarfed in size in between the gas guzzling behemoths.
One giant perk in renting a Prius: even with the constant driving to and from Mill Valley, CA from downtown San Francisco, the car kept reading FULL in the gas tank. That's pretty great...
Last week, I blogged about my visit to Serenbe Inn outside of Palmetto, GA to be part of a photo shoot for my new eco mattress line Simmons Natural Care by Danny Seo. I was going through my digital camera and found just one beautiful shot of the property after the next, and thought I'd share them.
Above is the main "check in" guest services building on the property. The wood is painted black and looks so striking on the farm.
In my guest room, this armoire looked so charming with the galvanized metal inserts.
One of the main guest cottages was used for the photo shoot. Here's the outside of the house with the gleaming red metal roof. I love metal roofs and especially love A: how they look and B: that they never need to be replaced.
Right next to the reflecting pool was this very comfortable outdoor seating area. The porch swing was so comfortable, that I could imagine falling asleep very easily on a warm, summer afternoon. The green painted wicker furniture looked so fresh and appropriate for the property. I love how it "pops" against the dark walls.
All over the property, they really did pay attention to design and function. In the pine forest, this long trail begs to be hiked, doesn't it?
And my favorite part? The galley style country kitchen in my guest room. This was so nice to make up a pot of coffee or hot tea in the morning or at the end of the night. On the last day of the shoot, I invited the cast of folks working on the shoot back to my room for drinks. It was a nice way to toast a successful shoot!
I was recently down in Palmetto, GA participating in a 2-day photo and film shoot for my new Simmons Natural Care by Danny Seo mattress line. It's so exciting to be part of the creative process and to be on-location at this incredibly gorgeous farm. It was all shot at this eco-friendly farm/inn/community called Serenbe. If you need a place to go visit and unwind, I highly recommend this place.
Above is a fun shot I envisioned in my head in several conference calls with the talented art direction staff. I thought it would be fun to shoot the eco-friendly mattress on top of bales of hay. Doesn't it look pretty?
A film crew also came from Los Angeles. When I wasn't busy working with the still photographers downstairs, I would run upstairs and film webisodes eco-tips on how to have a healthier sleep. Here are some props from one of the shoots; the crew was off taking a break when I took this shot.
Each morning, we met for breakfast in the Inn's main dining room. I seriously put on weight during the shoot because the food was absolutely amazing. This morning, we had organic eggs, potatoes, fresh squeezed orange juice, warm biscuits with homemade jams and jellies. This was one of the most talented crews I've ever worked with and I am sure I'll be calling them really soon to work on some other projects!
A fun shot of the mattress outdoors... not practical, but pretty! As we shot this, I got distracted by all the animals on the farm....
All she wanted was the hay under the bed to much on....
And really adorable baby goats as well...
And something I was so excited to finally see! The Simmons Natural Care by Danny Seo bed pillow. It has all the great eco qualities of the mattress, but in a standard size pillow. The natural latex blend inside makes it dust mite, mold and mildew resistant... all equals a healthier sleep. I loved how cushiony the pillow felt.
Well, new year, new goals. A resolution is supposed to be something that you A: know you should do and B: should be lofty in its goal. People who smoke resolve to quit. Overweight individuals resolve to lose weight. I've decided to stop taking taxis no matter what.
I'm in New York City every week for work. I'm pretty good about taking the subway everywhere. But once in a while, the sky turns black and it pours down rain. Or it's dark and freezing cold. And right there---right in front of you---is an available taxi. Rarity. But it's there for the taking. So I take it.
But this year, I'm going to give up taxis in favor of using the subway and other forms of public transportation to get around. And in dire situations, I'll hail a pedi-cab (which I am seeing much more of in NYC lately) to get me to a meeting. It's zero-emissions and I'm probably supporting a starving artist at the same time. I will, however, still continue to use my Blackberry in the back seat.
Here's a tip connecting the idea of someone (you and me) who need something with someone who has plenty of it to give away for free.
Have you ever lost a charger for your cell phone, Blackberry, Ipod or PDA device? Then you go to the store to buy a new one...only to discover it can cost a LOT of money to buy one? But what choice do you have but to put down the forty bucks for a new one... because your phone desperately needs to charge up?
The next time you travel, ask the front desk of the hotel you're staying in if they have a cell phone charger in the lost and found box. In some hotels, there are literally hundreds of unclaimed and unwanted chargers up for grabs. It is probably one of the #1 items left behind by hotel guests; they charge up the phones in their room, unplug it and leave the adapter stuck tot he wall outlet.
Since many chargers are designers for specific devices, you'll have to make sure the plugs and adapters are right for yours. But in most cases, the hotels are more than happy to help you out and give away the charger for free.
How cool is this? I was in NYC for work and decided to get off the subway one station early and enjoy the crisp, beautiful day.
I got off at 50th street and the first thing I saw was a billboard for Method cleaning products at the Duane Reade store. So I immediately and quickly looked for my digital camera and took a shot of it.
You see so many consumer products being advertised in Times Square, it's kinda cool to see something eco-friendly being advertised. Method products are sold at Duane Reade in NYC now, so that may be why they are advertising them right outside the store.
Tomorrow, I'm going to see comedian Amy Sedaris explaining the art of hospitality. I'll take lots of photos and will tell ya the funny stuff she says.
I'll be speaking on Saturday August 18th at 1pm and 5pm and then again on Sunday August 19th at 1pm and 3pm.
Learn how to transform your home into a green and gorgeous living spaces, win fabulous prizes from Method cleaning products and ask me whatever green product/decorating/renovation questions you need answered.
One of the prettiest spots in New York City, hands down. The rooftop garden at the Gramercy Park Hotel makes me wish for a greenhouse or sunroom at my house. I love the mixing and matching of weather-resistant furniture and mismatched tables. A vintage metal chair that swings when you sit on it; comfy wicker furniture with equally comfy cushions. And just lots of sun and rain-loving plants to surround you.
Next house, for sure... this goes into the idea journal...
I wrote a story for the NY POST about my favorite green spots in the city for eco-friendly goods and services. Of course, being the NY POST, they decided to call them my G-Spots. Ha ha. Get it? Well, here's the story. So, if you're in NYC, you just might find me hanging out at these spots.
G-SPOTS IN THE CITY
GREEN GURU TOT THE STARS DANNY SEO SHARES HIS SECRET LIST
By DANNY SEO
July 20, 2007 -- From wine to dishes, cheese and frocks, these days, it’s very easy to shop green. Author, blogger and CBS’s green correspondent Danny Seo compiled a list of the best - and sometimes - not so-obvious shops to get your earth-on.
Wine
While most wine stores in New York carry a handful of organic and biodynamic varieties, this store is clearly the authority on all-natural wines with hundreds of choices to choose from. If you’re luck enough to run into owner Scott Pactor, your visit to Appellation will turn into an eye-opening educational experience. Who knew so many great varieties of wines were organic? Regular wine tastings and hard-to-find wines make this a must-stop visit for any oenophile.
Appellation Wine and Spirits
156 Tenth Avenue at 20th Street
212-741-9474
Vintage New York
482 Broome Street, Corner of Wooster
SoHo
212-226-9463
Locally made food-wines, cheeses, produce and more-helps local farmers and business and the earth too. To bring the food from the farm to your table, it takes significantly less fuel and energy instead of shipping it across the country or the world to the grocery store shelves. German beer, for example, comes from Germany, so it’s flown or shipped into the country, then trucked store to store. A New York beer is made and shipped within New York. For good New York wines, nothing beats Vintage in Soho; it’s a whole store of nothing by New York region wines. Try the wine-tasting bar in the back of the store.
Veggies, fruits, flowers, cheese & more
After picking up a bottle of green local wine, head to Union Square Greenmarket and fill it up with local cheeses, bread, fruit and other goodies. Have an Epicurean feast.
Green market at Union Square
Broadway at 17th St
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays
Home decor
Even a brown thumb should visit this stylish gardening store in SOHO. Smith and Hawken’s roots are deeply grounded in sustainability, but their stylish products speak for themselves. Stock up on sturdy bamboo bowls and plates painted in vibrant colors. Choose an air-purifying houseplant for your studio apartment. Or pick-up a sustainable harvested teakwood-rocking chair; if someone spills a glass of organic Chianti on it, don’t worry! Just let it dry and sand it down to remove the stain. Green, comfortable and durable!
Smith and Hawken
394 West Broadway
212- 925-1190
Recycle batteries?
Who knew? Duane Reade is green! Bring all your old rechargeable batteries and dead cell phones to the store; they’ll recycle them free of charge in the Call2Recycle boxes in the stores. Then head to the cleaning section and pickup yummy and non-toxic Method all-purpose cleaners, hand wash, dish soap and soy candles. Not finished yet: head to the beauty aisle to find organic skin care steals like The Healing Garden’s organic skin care line.
Duane Reade
All over the City
Kitchen stuff
A charming little store in Soho that stocks unusual, handmade dishes, cups and utensils to set your table with. Look for rehabbed dinnerware that’s been reglazed with bright, bold colors. Or handmade bowls and plates made by local artists. Need a trash can? Look no further: sturdy and tall trashcans are made from old vinyl billboard material. Pop art, super-durable.
Clio
92 Thompson Street (between Prince & Spring)
Soho
212-966-8991
Asian delicacies galore
The basement of this famous Asian emporium is where all the great green bargains can really be found. Look for stainless steel stacking tins; perfect for carrying lunch from home to the office without having to use wasteful disposable wraps and containers. Bamboo bowls, steamers and chopsticks are in abundance; all made from a fast-growing, renewable resource. Straw slippers are a must; inexpensive and help your home stay cleaner. Leave your shoes at the door (your shoes drag in dirt and metals from outside) and slip on comfy slippers instead.
Pearl River Mart
477 Broadway
Chinatown
212-431-4770
Eats
Yum! Just Salad is just like the other toss-your-own salad places, but with a twist: reusable bowls. Everytime you re-use one of their brightly colored bowls, you get two free toppings! Or you can "donate" your bowls when you’re done eating and they’ll wash them and reuse them in the store. No more plastic throwaway containers.
Just Salad
134 West 37th Street (between Broadway and Seventh Ave.) and
320 Park Avenue (51st between Park & Madison)
Earth-friendly designs
Paper or plastic? Neither. Pick-up a stylish and affordable Marc Jacobs tote bag from the accessories shop of uber-cool designer Marc Jacobs. The simple tote is just $12 and can be used to haul groceries, some fresh fruit at the green market or a few bottles of wine from the liquor store at home with ease. Marc to the rescue!
Marc Jacobs Boutique
403-405 Bleecker Street
212-924-0026
Home decor & more
Take the free shuttle from Port Authority to Ikea and stock up on ecological and economical goodies. Laundry list: Energy efficient lightbulbs; get the silicone covered bulbs that last for 10,000 hours. The silicone covering gives the bulbs a soft glow when you use them (not the harsh bright light of most compact fluorescents). Raid the kitchen section for recycled glass cups; it’s clearly marked. Because of the recent news about the potential health dangers of Teflon cookware, look for Ikea’s red flame colored cast irons pots and pans; they’re made in France and very close to the pricey Le Crueset ones. Finally, raid the candle section for the stearin wax tapers; they’re made from vegetable oil and don’t emit soot into the air when you light them. Much healthier than traditional paraffin candles.
IKEA
100 Ikea Drive
Paramus
201-843-1881
Danny Seo is author of several books, including "Simply Green: Parties," and "Conscious Style Home: Eco-Friendly Living for the 21st Century." He is a contributing corresponding contributor at CBS This Morning.
Well, summer travel is upon us and many us will hit the road, trains and airports.
Recently, when I traveled down to Virginia for Memorial Day weekend, I stopped at off the highway to pick-up some nourishment at one of those mega rest stop food courts.
Nevermind trying to be healthy (I gave up the second I saw the Cinnabon next to the Taco Bell with a Haagen Daaz ice cream booth wedged in between). Instead, I wondered if it's possible to be green in a world of fast-food over-packaging. As I looked at the overflowing trash cans of plastic cups, styrofoam burger boxes, and soiled napkins, I started to wonder what are some good green tips I could share when it comes to finding green food options when traveling. Or is this a lost cause?
Okay, so in this summer travel tip post, I'll start with the easiest: beverages.
1. Go glass or aluminum whenever possible. Skip the paper/plastic cups and plastic soda bottles altogether. Look for a vending machine that sells glass or metal cans; think Snapple or orange juice or even Red Bull (like I said, this is not a healthy-eating post). Glass and aluminum are easily recyclable and desirable recyclables; aluminum and glass get recycled into new aluminum and glass. Bring the drink with you, sip in the car, and drop in a recycling bin at home or at your final destination. For flyers, the good news is that many airports have recycling bins throughout the terminal, so you can drop your can or bottle into the recycling bin right before you board the plane.
2. For coffee drinks, look for Starbucks. Yes, they are everywhere. But they also encourage reuse of those metal coffee bottles in their chains. Not only will you avoid getting a paper cup, but they'll also give you a discount for bringing your own traveling mug. Plus it keeps your hot drink, hot longer. (Although in the hot summer heat, that may not be a great thing... hmmmm). If you have a reusable SIGG water bottle, Starbucks will often fill it up for you with their filtered water for free. Just be nice when asking.
"You do know how to turn on the lights here," asked the Westin check-in attendant.
"Um, yes. You hit the switch, right?," I replied.
I made a quick trip to Pittsburgh to give a speech for the Urban Land Institute on Monday. At the Westin hotel, they've implemented energy-saving devices in all the hotel rooms that I thought was ingenius.
Basically, to activate the power in the room---lights, heating/air conditioning, even the TV---you had to put your room key into a slot by the door. No key, no power. So, when you enter the room, you have power...and when you leave (and you have to take your key anyway with you), it all turns off.
According to the hotel, the entire cost of the system to install paid for itself within THREE MONTHS of being installed. No more lazy hotel guests leaving their air conditioning running all day long. No more TVs just left on. No lingering lights illuminating a vacant room.
I would love to see more of these installed in other hotels. Not only does it save electricity, but it prevented me from losing the hotel room key.
This week in NYC as I was working on a number of Earth Day projects, I decided to stay at The Bowery Hotel on the east side of New York City.
The Bowery is in its "soft opening" stage; some of the floors aren't quite done yet and they are still working out the kinks in figuring out how to run the hotel. It has an interesting story; the building's former owners attempted to convert it into a condominium, but did so illegally and never got around to finishing the project. The new owners decided to convert and restore it into a hotel and what an interesting job they did. I thought you'd like to see some decorating details that might inspire you to bring a little boutique hotel style into your own home.
For me, hotels with character and charm and restoration are truly green; instead of ripping down a building and erecting a non-descript modern tower of generic hotel rooms, here is something unique and one-of-a-kind.
The deep bathtub overlooking Manhattan.
Intricate doilies on the back of chairs. I'm on the fence about this idea...
The charming Bowery Hotel wall sconces.
The INCREDIBLE floor to ceiling industrial windows. What a view!
I'm often asked what my favorite place to shop for eco-friendly items is. Well, it's Goodwill. Yes, the thrift shop where we all take our old clothes, toys, books and other household items to donate. Goodwill, in my opinion, is a great place to find a treasure trove of "materials" for all sorts of projects. Let me explain:
1. OLD SWEATERS: In my book SIMPLY GREEN PARTIES, I cover old dining room chairs with woolen sweaters that I picked up from Goodwill. You just unscrew the seat cushion, cover the cushion with a sweater, staple gun it into place, trim off the excess, and screw it back on. Only at Goodwill can you find a mind-blowing number of sweaters in interesting patterns perfect for this project.
2. SCARVES: Piles and piles of them. Get five or six and stitch them together using yarn and a large needed. Instant blanket.
3. BOARD GAMES: No need to recycle here. If you're planning a weekend away and need games for family and friends, don't run to the store and get something new you'll only use once. Goodwill has stacks and stacks of board games---some still shrink wrapped!----all for significantly less money than retail.
4. SILK FLOWERS: Ugly ugly ugly silk flowers can be found for next to nothing. Bungle flowers together by color group with florist tape; attach to present as a blooming gift topper.
5. VHS TAPES: From my book SIMPLY GREEN GIVING, I talk about ripping open an old VHS tape and using the shiny tape inside as ribbon. If you don't have tapes, the bargain bin at Goodwill will reveal mounds of tapes for about a nickel a piece. Rip open, cover gift, curl with sharp scissors and give!
If you read this blog regularly, you know lately I've been traveling quite a bit around the country.
To be greener while on the road, I've been renting hybrid cars from a company called EV RENTAL, which rents out cars like the Toyota Prius, the Highlander Hybrid, Ford Escape hybrid and Honda Insight.
The company is only on the West Coast: Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Oakland and San Diego.
Here's my opinion on renting hybrids from EV RENTAL so far:
PROS:
---You can rent a hybrid car. Most rental car companies (nix that, ALL rental car companies like Hertz, Enterprise, etc) do not have hybrid cars for rent.
---The condition of the cars is excellent. They're clean, new models. I got a 2006 Highlander hybrid in Los Angeles. It felt like the fanciest car in the world.
---PRICES are VERY low. In San Francisco, I rented a next generation Toyota Prius for $24.99 a day. At Hertz---for a dinky sedan on the lower end of their cars--it would've cost more than twice or three times that. For the week, my bill was just $144. You can not beat that. And you get a hybrid to boot.
CONS:
---They use a company called Fox Rentals to handle the renting process. To be blunt, it's not the nicest place. There's very little automation and they can be hard to find at the airport. In San Francisco, I had to take a tram from my gate to the car rental area. Then I had to take a shuttle (and they have one bus) to an off-site location. It took 30 minutes total. Yikes.
---Limited Stock. I reserved a Highlander SUV hybrid. It was out; the guy rented it before me got lost and they had nothing to offer me. So, I took the Prius. In their defense though, the guy knocked off some $$ for the inconvenience.
---Location, location, location. The car return area was incredibly hard to find and it took a lot of U-Turns to finally find it. Forget about following the "CAR RENTAL RETURN" signs on your way back to the airport. It doesn't apply to them.
But, that said, where else can you get a shiny hybrid car that COSTS LESS than a traditional rental car. I mean, seriously: for the inconvenience of getting to an out-of-the-way car rental place to save hundreds of dollars to rent a gas-sipping hybrid.....I think the choice is obvious!
The Home Show tour continues...this time I'm heading back to the East Coast to one of my all time favorite cities: Boston.
I'll be teaching a fun interactive workshop on FRIDAY, MARCH 2nd and SATURDAY, MARCH 3rd at the New England Home Show at the Seaport World Trade Center. If you're in town, come check out and learn:
--Simple Ways to Recycle your Trash into Beautiful and Functional Treasures
--See a Before and After Slide Show of Celebrity Homes I've Decorated Using Eco Methods and how You Too Can Get the Same Look
--And Win Eco-Friendly Prizes...
Hope to see ya there. Loved seeing everyone in San Mateo last week... thanks for the questions and creative ideas!
I'm heading to San Francisco soon to speak at the Peninsula Home Show in San Mateo, CA.
This year, the Home Show's theme is all about green living, so I'll be giving lots of how-to tips on decorating, renovating and much more for two whole days.
I'm speaking (er, teaching) on Saturday February 24th and Sunday February 25th.
A new eco clothing store has popped up in New York City, called Kaight. I stopped by the other day to peek around and finally asked the owner, "so, what does the name mean?" I figured there was some big, deeper meaning to the name. But she said, so simply, "Oh, it's just a pretty word that I made up."
The clothing in the shop is about 95% women's, and a few t-shirts for the guys. It's an interesting mix of clothes from Edun, Loomstate, Linda Loudermilk, Claudette, and Stewart & Brown. The owner has a great eye and---for you bargain hunters out there--lots of discounted goodies.
Some shots:
Important info:
83 Orchard Street New York, NY 10006. Ph: 212.680.5630 E-mail: info@kaightnyc.com
A definite must stop your next visit to nyc!
TIP: Vegan bakery BabyCakes is just around the corner. Shop first. Then eat cupcakes.
When I was in Philadelphia recently to speak at the Philadephia Home Show, I took my free time between speeches to walk around the city.
Someplace near Walnut Street and Macy's and Chestnut Street (can you tell I easily get lost?), I spied these little boats in a window.
They're all made from recycled gum wrappers. This has me thinking what else you could make from gum wrappers. I'm not handy with origami, so maybe I could fold something into a very simple star. A folded foil star could look pretty glued onto a gift. Hmmm...
Well, I have to make a quick trip to San Francisco for work, so I thought I'd share some of my green (and fun) finds in SF.
First up: Miette Organic Patisserie. A long time ago, I gave up eating sugar, but everytime I visit this bakery in the Ferry Building, I end up breaking that rule. There's a whole selection of wonderful cakes, cookies, candies and other sweet treats made from organic ingredients. Don't think organic means it tastes healthy or, er, is healthy: on the contrary, it is simply one of the best bakeries in San Francisco, hands down.
WHERE? Ferry Building Marketplace, Shop 10 San Francisco, CA 94111
This is the only photo I could find online since I haven't been there yet. The store is called SPRING and it's a new eco-living store on Polk Street. From what I can tell online, there's a whole selection of organic and recycled items for the home scattered with clothing items for babies and a few grown-up items, too. I'm gonna make a side trip visit to the store on my way back to the airport and will take a bunch of photos for ya.
WHERE? 2162 polk street @ vallejo san francisco, ca 94109
Okay, the next place isn't an organic or green place, but it is a local gem that I think everyone should take the time to visit. It's the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory in the heart of Chinatown. Here, you can see fortune cookies being made by hand. There's free samples and a whole variety of different types of fortune cookies you can buy.
I love using fortune cookies to decorate the Christmas tree during the holidays, but you can also use them to tie onto a gift as a bonus gift, too. So many uses for them. Anyway, half the fun of this fortune cookie factory is getting there: It's down a hidden alleyway past a bunch of fun little shops in Chinatown.
WHERE? 56 Ross Alley, San Francisco, CA 94108
Got any other green finds in San Francisco you want to share? Drop a line!
I'm hitting the road again and will be speaking at several Home and Garden shows around the country.
First stop: Philadelphia
SATURDAY JANUARY 20th and SUNDAY JANUARY 21st.
For more information on the show, where to find my workshop and much more, click here.
Hope to see you there!
PS-Future cites include San Mateo, CA (Feb 24-25), Boston, MA (March 2-3), and Anaheim, CA (August 25-26). We're adding many more dates, so check often.
Over the last few years, I've become (unwillingly) quite the frequent flier. Checked bag? Never. Middle seat? No way. Always upgraded to first class? Er, haven't quite figured that one out yet.
But what I do know is that ever since airlines gave up serving food to passengers, more and more people are bringing on smellier, greasier and overpackaged food onto the planes. It can, to say the least, be rather disgusting.
But trying to be a healthier flier and still travel light, I find myself always bringing the same things on the plane with me each time. Here's my Top 4 picks:
1. Soy Jerky. I'm a vegetarian, but sometimes a bag of nuts just won't do. This stuff is great...high protein, low carbs, a little savory/sweet....perfect for the plane. Comes in many different flavors and the stuff is vacuum packed, so it stays fresh forever.
2. Emergen-C Packets. Comes in many different fruity flavors; just add to a bottle of water and shake. I swear, whenever I feel a cold coming on, I just chug a bottle of this stuff and I feel better. It's loaded with B vitamins too, which gives you an added boost of real energy. I buy this stuff by the box and just carry the little packets with me wherever I go.
3. Nile dried soups. Okay, I don't bring this everytime, but during the winter months, it's perfect. Just ask the flight attendant to fill it with hot water and stir (you need a spoon). A few minutes later, you have hot soup. Lentil, minestrone, black bean are all great... and it's a real meal instead of some in-flight snack box full of cookies, chips and who knows what.
4. Lara Bars. Love these. These are raw food bars with an ingredients list that is usually no more than 3 ingredients long. Cherry Pie bar is just cashews, dried cherries and figs (I think). They are sweet, but sweetened naturally... We all know the raw food diet is good for you... here's a simpler and easier way to embrace it.
So, what am I missing? What do you always travel with? I'll try it the next time I fly!
You might wonder, why do I never post photos of myself on this blog. Well, the answer is pretty straightforward: someone has to hit the button on the digital camera.
My pal Stacie sent this photo to me recently. While the rest of the group was off on the tour learning about artisanal cheeses and meeting the sheep who provide the milk for these cheeses, I couldn't resist playing hooky.
When I saw this giant pile of hay bales, I took a photo too. Right now, it's on my laptop as the desktop photo... but I thought it would be a beautiful cover for Country Home magazine. We'll see what my editors think about the idea.
Well, here I am. Hello! Hmmm...a little part of me wants to go back to the farm with the straw bale piles...
This week, I drove to Baltimore, MD to give the keynote speech at NEOCON, a conference of professional designers who asked me to talk about the latest in eco-friendly design for offices.
Lately, I've been doing a lot of driving (translation: I also plant trees then to off-set the carbon footprint) and wanted to do something to, well, keep my car smelling fresh.
Those smelly pine tree fresheners you see everywhere are awful; I'm not sure what they are, but I always get a migraine from the strong, chemical-y scent they give off.
Solution? I stuffed a large tea strainer ball with a mixture of charcoal (from the grill) and dried lavender. The charcoal absorbs odor and the lavender smells nice. It already has a chain attached and I just hooked it to my rear view mirror.
I swear, this thing works. Give it a try and ditch that smelly pine scented thing.
I’ve never been much of a collector.I don’t collect “egg themed” artwork or stuffed animals or anything that I’ll plop down a huge chunk of cash simply because I must have it.In fact, the cheaper a find is---in my opinion---the more cherished it becomes. When I was in Australia about a year ago overseeing a photo shoot with the lovely actress Rosario Dawson, the one thing I did on my time off was rummage through local thrift shops and junk stores.
There is nothing more thrilling than being in another country and going through junk.Nothing!
My big find was this metal trophy topper.It was about a $5 (USD) and I loved it ever since.It now has a home on my fireplace mantel with a collection of vintage trophies I’ve found from around the world.The only frustrating thing has been that my friends think keep asking me which store I bought it from; they’re convinced it’s a “vintage looking” piece from a mass retail store.Sigh.
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